


A New World Adventure

by frenchposie



Category: Master and Commander - All Media Types, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003), Pete's Dragon (1977)
Genre: Caring, Crossover, Fantasy, Friendship, Medicine, Science, Unbelievable, dragon - Freeform, quack doctor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-12-09 00:44:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11658084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frenchposie/pseuds/frenchposie
Summary: This is an utterly ridiculous cross over between Pete’s Dragon (1977) and Master and Commander.  It pushes Pete’s Dragon considerably earlier, and explores what might have happened if Maturin ran in to Doc Terminus – and a dragon.





	A New World Adventure

The open skies were blue with the fluffiest clouds that the crew had seen in quite some time.  The wind off the sea was mild, and the sun did not beat down on them as though it would burn them to a crisp.

Bells clanged and Dr. Stephen Maturin ran to the top of the deck as the leftenant on duty called out that land had been sighted. 

They had been sent out on a mission to the United States – Boston to be exact.  There were a few ships builders that the Crown had decided to employ, and it was the responsibility of the HMS Surprise to pick them up and shuttle them safely to England. 

“That’s not Boston’s light house,” one of the crew stated. 

Stephen’s heart constricted as he tried to figure out exactly where they had come to.  He knew that sailing was not a specific science, but he would never verbalize that.  Besides, Captain Jack Aubrey seemed to make sailing a science of its own… one made up of mathematics, engineering, astronomy, and superstition.

Stephen came up to a row of midshipmen looking out at the shoreline.  “Where did we come up to?” he asked the captain, who was pointing out a thing or two to the younger boys. 

“Maine,” the man answered.

“Maine? Wha- they’re not expecting us.  And British ships are still not precisely what I would call welcome on America’s shorelines.”  Stephen was quite a bit worried.  Certainly, it was not as bad as it had been the century before, but the war in 1812 was still rather fresh in the minds of the people on both sides of the battle lines.  He feared what it would be like.”

“It’s Passamaquoddy, sir,” Bondon stated, coming up to them.  “They’re a small community at the tip of Maine.  While they don’t see many British ships, I’ve heard tell of some trading being done with them.”

Stephen did not look calmed by this information.

“As I understand it, doctor, the town does not house a standing militia, or even a big enough harbor to house us,” Jack continued to explain.  “We’ll stay in the open water and row in.  Just for a week or two.  We’re ahead of schedule, so we’ll stay for provisions before heading down the shoreline to Boston.  “Don’t worry, doctor, I would not set foot in a place that I thought would be dangerous for the crew.”

The doctor nodded.  “Yes, of course, Jack.  I apologize for insinuating otherwise.” 

With a barely concealed eye roll, he smiled and walked past his friend, answering a discreet head movement by Leftenant Pullings. 

Stephen took a deep breath.  It would be nice to step foot on land.  And, he had never been to North America before.  He wondered what kinds of animals and creatures they would have.  Certainly, nothing that he could present to the Crown.  But, for his own edification, there was certain to be something that he could learn… some new species to study.  If he were lucky, perhaps he could compare his research against that of another physician.  His own intellectual adventure.  Perhaps not one that he could share with Jack or even the ever maturing Mr. Blackeney, but it would be… something to journal about.   Something to remember when he was old and telling his stories to Diana or any children that they may have.  Boring stories, not stories like Uncle Jack would have.  He could never have an adventure like Jack did.  It was the long lasting material difference between being in command and being in the sciences.

\---

Stepping onto dry land was a most natural prospect for Stephen.  Unlike the rest of the crew, he rather preferred to be on dry land than on a ship.  But, he enjoyed his friendship with Captain Jack Aubrey, and, unless he wanted to go back into intelligence, he knew that he had to stay as he was.  There were certainly worse things in life to be than the ships surgeon to ones dearest friend in life.

Upon getting to land, people were cautious.  The captain had already met with the mayor, showing him their orders, and explaining what they were doing in his town.  The man had been courteous enough, although the towns-people remained cautious. 

Jack and Stephen procured a place for them and the officers to stay, as well as a room or two for any others that wished to come ashore.   Strolling through the town, which was a typical port town. It seemed that the bulk of their economy existed off of fisherman and those which caught lobsters and other shellfish.  The wooden buildings were neatly built and the town seemed prosperous enough.  They were certain that the influx of money would be helpful – and the mayor had made them aware that although their British pounds were not as welcome as American currency, that some shop keepers would accept it, as well as the fact that others would be open to barter. 

Suddenly, the town crier alerted the town to a doctor who was apparently coming in. 

“Perhaps they don’t have one of their own,” Jack mused just before the entire town seemed to panic.  People ran in each direction, many into homes and businesses, shutting up the doors tightly. 

“Oh that can’t be good,” Stephen said, adjusting his wide brimmed hat.  The sun had never been kind to the pale Irishman and he burned rather easily. 

The two of them stood to the side, as they watched a man whose cart was more stage than carriage ripped through the town destroying property and making a general mess of things in his none-too-discreet entrance, which eventually resulting in both he and the man traveling with him being thrown from the cart, and their horses being terrified. 

Stephen ran towards the poor creatures, trying to calm the horses down.  The poor things ha run themselves ragged, and he feared for their health.  Seeing a nearby trough, he lead them over to it, completely ignoring the fuss that was being made over the two men who had been quite dramatically launched out of their seats by their own dangerous behavior. 

As the horses drank, he noticed the signs stating that they had medicines of all kinds.  He had heard about this sort of charlatan of course. False doctors such as these had been around since the writing of Nicholas Flamel and Paracelsus.  He had often considered it lucky that the only false medicine that he had the misfortune of coming in contact with was the tricks that the dolt back up ship’s doctor played on the other crew mates in order to get their grog ration. 

Cold brown eyes met those of Jack, who had walked closer to the two men who had fallen, but did not go near them.  The towns-people seemed none-too-pleased that these two were in town, and Jack in no way wanted to be attributed to them. 

The two of them moved towards each other as the taller of the two men dusted himself off and started to engage with them.  He touted the cures that he had gotten from his travels and all of the people that they had helped.  It was apparent to Jack and Stephen that these two charlatans had been to this town before, and they were not welcomed to come back.

“Terminus potions, tablets, and lotions,” the man explained to the group with extreme enthusiasm.   When he started explaining about his experience with modern science, Stephen’s eyes flashed dangerously. 

“You know, Jack, I believe we arrived just in time,” he stated, his hands balling into fists at his sides. Not a violent man by nature, he had the overwhelming urge to cold-cock these two men and run them out of town himself.  His urge for violence only increased with the towns-people come forward and explained the harm that had been done by this Doctor Terminus’ medicines the last time that he had come through town.  Bringing a hand to his mouth, he listened in sheer horror.

“Can you help them, Stephen?” Jack asked, noticing his friend’s out-of-character reaction.  He knew that Stephen had little patience for false medicine and science.  Worse yet, this false doctor was rationalizing away the people’s complaints.  While Jack did not view Stephen as a violent man of any sort, he did know that the man was passionate about the natural sciences, and that this was likely to be a situation he became very passionate about rather quickly.

“Some of them,” Stephen whispered.  “But I don’t know what they took.  And,” he sighed as the doctor’s friend disappeared and then reappeared in the most ridiculous of costumes begging the doctor for help. “If this is the level of help they have come to expect from visiting doctors, I don’t know how to get them to trust me.”

Jack nodded, aghast as they watched what could only be described as a melancholic comedy play out in front of them.  “It seems to me, Stephen, that if they are open to such a low level of medical assistance, they must need it very badly.  I think that if you actually are able to assist them, they will learn to trust you very quickly.”

Stephen nodded his head to the side, acquiescing the point, but unwilling to tear his eyes from the circus that was setting up in front of him, as the charlatan turned the towns-people to his side.  “That is one sales pitch,” he muttered, turning to see Jack nodding. 

\---

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Jack said, sitting at the small table in the room that he and Stephen shared at the inn.  “They just believe him.  He was so obviously selling crockery to them, and I don’t mean the type you cook in.”  Jack was getting more and more agitated as he spoke.

Stephen listened to his friend’s agitation, happy that he didn’t need to explain why he, himself, was so out of sorts this evening.  “Charlatans and false doctors are not new Jack.  We have had them in England for hundreds of years.  And for ever false doctor, there is someone desperate enough to need them.”

“How do we stop him?” Jack asked, hoping that whatever plan Stephen came up with would be completed by the time they needed to leave.  Otherwise, he knew that Stephen would want to be left behind, and he always hated that idea.  One never knew when they could come back.  And, if they returned to England without their ships surgeon and one of the finest intelligence agents that England had ever known, he knew there would be hell to pay… if not his actual commission.

“I don’t think there a way to stop him.  This is his employ. But, I can try to talk to him.  And, I can try to clean up what he destroys.  Just clean up behind him so that the people are safe.  I won’t be paid for it of course.  How could I?  They will have already been tricked out of their money.”

“You can’t use our stores, Stephen,” Jack stated, putting the rule in place before his friend could suggest or request it.

“No, of course not,” Stephen agreed with a shake of his head.   “Hopefully, whatever antidote is needed will be found in their apothecary stores.”

“Which will need money.  They won’t just give you what you need, Stephen.  This little town needs money in their economy.”

“Then perhaps they will pay for that.  But, I can’t just turn my back on them while they’re being tricked into being unhealthy,” Stephen snapped.

“No, of course not, my friend.  The crew and I … we are at your disposal.  Whatever you need,” Jack stated with a smile. 

\---

The next day, Stephen watched as Doc Terminus saw people in the main room of the inn.  The potions all looked the same, but without knowing what was in them, Stephen knew that he could do little to help the people, or stop the ‘doctor’.

Finally, he decided that he needed to see the doctor himself.  Taking up his cane, he leaned heavily  into it, walking up to Doc Terminus with much more pronounced limp than he’d ever had.  “Doctor Terminus,” he said with admiration, “For years I have followed your work, sir,” he said enthusiastically.  If his work as an intelligence agent had taught him anything it was that those seeking attention also sought to have their ego stroked.   “You are quite an innovator in our profession,” he said, awkwardly reaching out to shake the man’s hand.

“Well thank you,” Doc Terminus responded, a bit roughly.  He looked Stephen over and then relaxed.  “I don’t believe we’ve met before.”

“Oh no, sir,” he said, realizing that he was falling into the military way of speaking much too easily.  He had to remove some of the finery from his speech patterns if he was not to be caught on to by this man who made his living reading people and then conning them.  “I’m just a physician like yourself.  I’ve been trying to set up a practice nearby, and I know that you have quite a successful practice of your own.  I must know, what is in your medicines sir?”

Stephen knew that no charlatan worth his salt would state what was in his remedies.  He winced harshly.

“Would you like to sit down?” Doc Terminus’ accomplice asked. 

“Oh yes sir.  Do forgive me.  I’ve had terrible pains in my leg since I was a young lad.”

“Doctor?” he heard behind him.  He turned to see Bondon with Mr. Blackeney, both looking quite concerned for his welfare. 

Stephen’s eyes flashed dangerously as he made sure not to shake his head or do anything that would blow his cover.  “I’ve believe they are speaking to you.  These are not any of my patients,” he stated, getting.  “If you need time with the doctor, do feel free to tell him what ails you,” he said, giving the two a serious glance and a nod. 

Bondon stepped up first.  “It’s my hand, sir.  I got it caught in a net and it hurts something fierce.”

Doc Terminus wasn’t having it though.  “I’m a doctor, not a surgeon.  Go find yourself a surgeon, and let them know Doc Terminus sent you.” 

Bondon looked quite distraught as he got up. 

“Perhaps this fine doctor would be able to assist,” Doc Terminus offered, pointing at Stephen. 

“No, sir,” Bondon stated.  “If you can’t help me, I don’t want nobody else.”  Slowly, he walked away, looking more and more rejected with every step.

“Sir, I need…”  Blackeney paused.  He looked over the Stephen and then the strength went out of his torso.  Crumbling onto the table, he pushed himself up with one hand.  “That keeps happening.  I get a pain in my side and get very weak.  Can you help me?”

It took everything in Stephen not to panic at the sight.  He was fairly certain that the two had been sent by the captain, and he couldn’t risk breaking cover. 

Doc Terminus got up and pressed the young man’s side, which caused him to jerk away.  Taking a bottle out of his medical bag he pulled out a bottle of tablets.  “Take two of these every hour and then come back for more,” he said, handing over the bottle.  “One dollar.” 

Stephen held his breath for a moment, hoping that they had been provisioned with the right sort of money.   He did not let it out when Blackeney handed over an American dollar.   The exchange was complete and Stephen took the chair that Blackeney vacated. 

“Is there a reason that you’re holding your breath, doctor… “ Doc Terminus asked, regarding Stephen with a healthy dose of skepticism. 

Stephen was fairly certain that Doc Terminus was as far away from being a real doctor as he was from being a commander. So his answer needed to further that thought – needed to prove that his instincts were correct.  “Hemmshhooo!” he sneezed, quickly bringing a handkerchief to cover his nose and mouth. 

The jump from Doc Terminus and his accomplice showed that they had been surprised, but in no way disgusted.  He wondered if perhaps that was because they were used to such things from the people they ‘treated’.  Next time, perhaps, he would need to be less gentlemanly. 

“Gesundheit,” Doc Terminus offered.  “Now, about your leg.  I have a this,” he took out a bottle.  “Ten times a day until it’s empty.  Your leg will feel good as new.”   Stephen smiled sheepishly and handed over a dollar.  Now having both tablets and a potion, he felt confident that he could get to the bottom of whatever this charlatan was dosing people with. 

“Now, I have a question for you.  Why did you not say you were a surgeon,” Doc Terminus asked Stephen.  “Do you not know that it is a poor idea to push away money?”

“Well of course.  But, I don’t wish to hurt anyone,” Stephen answered nervously.

“I have a degree from the Royal College of Medicine in London, and I assure you that if you can be a doctor, you can be a surgeon.  Just takes practice.  You should find that young man and practice on him.”

“Well thank you, sir,” Stephen said, his heart pounding in his chest at the horrific advice he had just been given.   “I think I shall.”  Getting up to leave, he was nearly knocked over by an older gentleman, well within his cups.   He stood there, quietly, as the man asked Doc Terminus about his experience with dragons. 

 _Not everything is in your books, Stephen,_ he recalled Jack once saying to him.  Even Doc Terminus didn’t seem to quite believe the older gentleman, but as the man became more insistent, the two of them made eye contact.  There was something interesting about this, and perhaps he was right – what if he did see a dragon?  Perhaps this was where the dragons had been hiding… here – in America.  It would explain why they hadn’t been sighted in Europe in hundreds of years.  He found himself being pulled into this tale of wonder, and hoped that he had been respectful and unintimidating enough that Doc Terminus would allow him to have part of this adventure.

\---

“Now, ma’am, I would like you to stop taking the tablets that Doc Terminus gave you during his last visit,” Stephen said, gently.  The woman had gained a substantial amount of weight and attributed it to the medicine that he had given her.

“Oh I’m done with those.  But, I can’t seem to lose the weight that I have gained.  It just packs on.”

He took her vital signs and was a little nervous about how fast her heart was beating.  “Have you been pregnant since that time?” he asked. 

“No doctor.  I have not been able to find a husband,” her soft honest voice answered. 

“What do you do for employ, ma’am?” Stephen asked.  “Is there any way that you could take long walks around the town?  Perhaps to the light house and back?” he asked. 

“I am a seamstress.  But, no, I don’t walk much.”

Stephen was upset that he didn’t know what the woman had been given.  He figured it had something like meat fat and sugar in it, perhaps held together with a flour base.   It had thrown off the woman’s metabolism horribly.  “Well I am happy to say that this is completely reversible.  If you go out for a few walks a day, this will melt right off of you,” he said with a smile.

The woman’s smile lit up the room.  “Thank you so much, doctor.  A real doctor.  We could use a doctor like you here,” she complimented. 

“I appreciate your saying so.  But, I have my own to attend to,” he said, packing up his bag. 

“Here,” she said, with a smile, handing over two dollars.

He looked at her curiously.  “That’s too much, ma’am.  I haven’t done anything. 

“Well if I can spend a dollar for poor health, I can spend two for good health,” she countered. 

He slid a dollar back to her.  “I have a shipmate who needs  to have his shirt properly sewn.  Will you do that for me?” he asked.

She smiled and nodded at him. 

\---

“I can’t do much for your hair as it is, unfortunately,” Stephen said to a man whose hair had been turned a color not found in nature by a pill that Doc Terminus had given him. 

“He said that the more I took the darker red my hair would get,” the middle aged man explained.  He was wearing a button up suit and trousers.  His suspenders were loose on his aging frame. 

“There is nothing wrong with having gray hair,” Stephen said, putting things away.  He pulled out a pill that the man had left and rolled it in his fingers.  The red dye used came off on them and he smelled his fingers.  He had never seen an internal medicine change a man’s hair color before.  But,  that’s what he was claiming. 

“I just wanted to look like I did in my younger years,” the man explained sadly, as he leaned his elbows on the table, sagging down onto his crossed arms.

“Don’t we all,” Stephen sympathized.  “I’ll take the rest of these off your hands for fifty cents,” he said, wanting to study the pills. 

The man nodded his thanks.  “I see no reason why if you stop taking these pills your gray hair won’t come back naturally.”  Of course, he couldn’t see why the pills worked either. 

“You’re the ships doctor on the British shipped anchored outside our harbor?” the man asked.

Stephen nodded. 

“Terminus says that he’s got a degree from the Royal College of Physicians in London.   Do you have such a degree?”

Stephen nodded, knowing he was taking a risk by breaking his story to the towns-people.  But he believed that their distrust in Doc Terminus was so deep that they would not confide in him.  Rather, he believed that they would prefer to feel like they were getting on over on him.  “This is not to get back to Terminus, but yes, I do.  And of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh.”

“Would you say he has one?” the older man asked.

“I couldn’t not say for certain.  But, I do know that this sort of medicine that he is doling out is not taught at the college.”

The man nodded.  “Thank you doctor,” he said, his voice tired.  “I wish I could do something for you.”

“Get better, sir,” Stephen said gently, as he finished packing his bag.  “And don’t trust charlatans like that again.”

\---

“Not everything is found in my medical books indeed,” Stephen muttered as he and Jack stood before an outline of a dragon.  It appeared that a dragon had quite literally walked through the walls of the school house. 

“I never expected this…” Jack admitted equally aghast.  “A Jonah is one thing, but this is an actual dragon.”

“It can’t be…” Stephen said, his mind still rejecting what his eyes were seeing.  “It just can’t be. “

“Then a dragon came in through one wall and went out the other wall,” the school teacher explained to a group of men who were standing around her. 

Stephen moved aside as someone came through.  Doc Terminus. Of course. 

Jack nodded at him and walked away, seemingly to go around to the other side of the school. 

“This could change everything,” Stephen whispered to Terminus.  “Everything about natural science.  And we could be the first men of the modern age to write on it.”  The excitement in his voice was not forced.  This was exciting!  Dragons!  Real dragons!

“Come,” Doc Terminus stated, as Stephen felt himself get pulled away from the gathering.

\---

Doc Terminus, his assistance, and Stephen poured over a book that Terminus had on dragons.  “There are so many uses for dragon parts,” he said, carefully.  He figured the other doctor would not want to kill the dragon, but maybe if he could convince Stephen that he was most interested in the disposable parts then he could get help in capturing the dragon.

“We could study him, write on him.  We could write our own books on how the ancient texts were correct.” 

“It would be profitable.  A dragon business off of dragon parts and you could be the world’s leading authority.  We could both get what we want from this dragon.”

“We could chop him up in to pieces and travel with them,” the assistant said.  “You could travel with us.”

Stephen paled, sitting back and the other two started to talk about how much they would charge for the dragon parts based on what it did.  “No you can’t kill it.  What if there are others?  What if there are babies?”

“We’ll just tie it up, good sir,” Doc Terminus lied.  “Parts could be gotten without killing it.  And then you could write your books.  Are you in?”

Stephen felt ill.  None of this sat well with him. He wanted to see the dragon, of course.  Meet it, study it.  But, not hurt it.  He knew that they couldn’t bring it back to England, but those books that needed to be written.  There was so much to be learned.  What if there was a tuft of hair or a nail clipping or a tear that could cure something?  Even just to see what it would do…  He wouldn’t hurt anyone else… he would study on himself like all the best doctors did.  But, the idea of being in league with Doc Terminus made him sick to his stomach.   This was all going sideways in ways that he couldn’t see through to an ending that he could live with. 

A simple nod.  He had to talk to Jack.

\---

“They want to do what?” Jack exclaimed in a thunderous voice.  “Stephen, it is not like to you kill that which you want to study – at least not when there is only one to be had. “

“I know!  I know, Jack.  I don’t want to kill it.  I just want to see it- to view it.  Maybe tend to it for a while.  I just don’t know what’s going to happen.”

“Stephen, you know that I will usually entertain your naturalist interests, but is being in line with people such as these worth your reputation?  You’re putting a lot on the line to learn about this thing – this dragon.  What if it isn’t even a dragon but something else entirely?  No one has even seen it yet.”

Stephen deflated.  Jack was right, of course.  To be in league with a man such as Terminus could destroy everything that he had ever wanted to accomplish.  This was going to get worse before it got better.  He could feel it in his bones.

“We’ll be gone by this weekend.  We’re going to pull up anchor as soon as we can.  Keep helping the people, but we have to get you out of this mess.  They don’t know your name yet, do they?”

Stephen shook his head.  He had given a false name, and no one had used his real one in front of the towns-people.   He felt Jack’s hand land on his shoulder.  “We’re going to get you out of this Stephen,” he promised.

\---

The next day, Jack wandered through the town with Stephen.  Despite all of the odd things that had been going on, the towns-people were oddly resilient. 

“Tense! Tense!” they heard Terminus demand of someone from within his tent. 

Not liking the sound of that, Stephen pulled slightly at Jack’s arm.  “Come,” he said, moving around to the other side of the tent.  There was a sound of fear from one person, and they could hear Terminus and his assistant muttering to each other. 

“Jack,” Stephen said, pointing at the corner facing the wall with the doorway.  “Let me know when they’re gone,” he ordered Jack. 

A nod, and Jack watched the door.  It was unusual for Stephen to give him orders, but sometimes there was a reason to it, and it was always worth listening to.  They were not on the ship, and Jack had long since learned that Stephen’s mind acted something like a game of chess.  He was always several steps ahead of where everyone else was. 

“Go!” Jack stated after a time.

Trusting him fully, Stephen entered the tent, and saw a well dressed man tied up to a machine. The machine seemed to be set up to tear through the man’s cheek.  “Oh my God!” he exclaimed, completely uncaring about how terribly close he came to swearing.  “Keep your foot right where it is,” he said, blowing out a candle that was fast burning through the line that was holding up a twenty-five pound weight.  He grabbed the weight and let it go slack.   The man’s foot was one a pedal that was keeping this contraption in gear.  “Take your foot off the pedal,” he said.  “Jack!” he called, as loudly as he dared.

Jack came into the tent, and sucked in a shocked breath.  “What is this?” he asked. 

“I’ll explain later,” Stephen said, handing off the weight.  He carefully pulled the part of the contraption that was on the man’s face off of it.  “What were you trying to do?” he asked, ask they set the bits of the contraption down. 

“I have a toothache,” the obviously terrified man breathed.  “Doc Terminus said that the vibrations from the side vibrator would make that go away.” 

Jack looked horrified, while Stephen shook his head.  “No.  The vibrations will actually make it worse.  I can look at it if you’d like.” 

The man shook his head terrified, and ran out of the tent. 

He looked at Jack, his broken heart bleeding out through his eyes.  “What gives him the right to do this?” he breathed. 

“Come on.  Let’s get to the tavern.  A drink will settle your nerves,” Jack said, tugging at his friend’s arm, and putting a supportive arm around Stephen as they walked to the tavern.

\---

While they sat at the table, Jack downed a shot of scotch with great vigor.  Given the choice, Stephen didn’t like to drink alcohol, so he mostly looked at the glass.  “I knew that there were such contraptions, but I have never seen one.”  He finally drank the alcohol, and winced at the harsh feeling as he swallowed it down. 

He pressed his hand to his forehead.  “We have to get out of here Jack.  I can’t see these things anymore.” 

Jack nodded.  The towns-people had been lucky that Stephen was there to fix the problems that the false doctor had created.  But, the toll it was taking on his friend was too much for him to bear.  He sighed.  “There is something going on to catch the dragon tonight.  Maybe we can see it.  Then we’ll have a story for the crew, you’ll have the tablets and potions to study, and we’ll get you out of here.  Does that meet with your sense of propriety?” Jack asked, calming putting his hand on Stephen’s back and rubbing it up and down. 

“Yes,” Stephen replied with a nod. 

\---

“Well they certainly think they’re going to catch something,” Jack stated as he and Stephen watched as Terminus quite succinctly executed a trap for a very large beast. 

“He’s foolish, but he’s not and idiot.  Maybe he was university trained before coming to this end,” Stephen said with a sigh.  The man was very well spoken and his understanding of engineering was commendable.  Stephen wondered what would have to happen to a man of science to turn him into  such an immoral creature.

They stood to the side as the trap was set.  Things seemed to be going according to some sort of plan, but the later the night got, the more unhappy Stephen seemed.  “I want this night to end, Jack, he said.  He had never considered himself to be a very brave man, and the thunder that was crashing with the storm outside perfectly complimented the way he felt on the inside.

“Drop everything!” Terminus exclaimed and the nets fell… over what had just before looked like an empty floor.  But as soon as the nets rested, they created the form of a dinosaur.  There was something with a huge body and long tail. The neck stretched up to a round head. 

Jack and Stephen were shocked, their jaws slack at what they were seeing.  “It’s a dragon,” Stephen breathed, unable to contain his shock. 

“All right, we’ve seen it Stephen.  I’ll believe your story when you tell it,” Jack stated. 

A look of sheer confusion crossed Stephen’s face and he looked down unable to process what was going on in the world around him. 

“Come.  Come on Stephen,” Jack said, tugging the doctor out of the boathouse, which was rapidly erupting into chaos.  “We can’t get back to the ship tonight… but as soon as the storm let’s up we’re going to go back home.”

Stephen smiled and nodded his head, letting Jack tug him out of the boathouse.

\---

Safely onboard the HMS Surprise, Stephen settled on the bow and looked out as they pulled away from Passamaquoddy Bay.  “We’ve got all sorts of pills and potions and things for you to study doctor,” Bondon said, coming up to him.  “It seems that the townspeople were more than happy to give up the stuff that didn’t work.”

Stephen smiled.  “Thank you,” he said, looking back towards the ship.  “You didn’t try any did you?” he asked.

“Goodness no,” he said.  “Lord Blackeney didn’t either.  We’re interested to know your findings though, doctor,” he said, handing over a basket full of different medical bottles.  With a nod and an awkward smile, he walked away.

The captain walked up to the doctor soon after and looked out towards the bay.  “That was some adventure, hm, Stephen?”

“Thank you for humoring my naturalistic tendencies, Jack,” Stephen said with a small smile.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Jack clasped his hands behind his back.  He had been quite worried about his friend, who wasn’t used to having quite that sort of adventure.  It wasn’t every day a man had science’s short comings so obviously thrown in his face. 

“Not yet.  But, someday, this will make a terrific story.”


End file.
